Black Secrets
by BlackHawkShrimp
Summary: "I would like to have a talk with you, my dear daughter, in my chambers after dinner." Swallowing hard, she looked at her dinner. Now her thoughts wandered to the possibilities; why did Cora want to talk to her? And why in her chambers? For punishment again?
1. Chapter 1

**AN: This story will contain themes that some may be uncomfortable with, including noncon, torture, mindfuckery and parent-child incest. Consider this a trigger warning since I´m unsure how else to word it. Also, english is not my first language, so please excuse any mistakes. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Ouat.**

As soon as she stood in front of the open door, a cold but not unfamiliar shiver rushed through her veins. One hand grasped the big doorframe, her eyes crossed anxiously over the room, searching for any evidence of the Queen of Hearts.

She looked toward the large window, it was still open and the brunette could see the silver shiny rays of the moon. The moon always frightened her somehow, in the strangest but exhilarating way. She did not know why, but it drew her attention; like something dark and unknown pulling at her, and she just couldn´t walk away.

Maybe it's her innocent youth, which forced her never ending thirst of inquisitivity, or her silliness or girly clumsiness, that made her step into another puddle of difficulties, as her mother used to say.

Oh her mother. She frowned slightly. She had just disappointed her mother again. But how this time? The young woman just didn't understand how. What did she do this time? She acted like she was supposed to and she married King Leopold, she did her best to be a good wife, a good stepmother for Snow White and a good Queen. A good daughter, too. Pleasing each of them as best as she could.

Stepping into the room, she exhaled, and her mind went further.

Avoiding the wetness in her eyes, she blinked. But why should Snow White have happiness, when she did not have it? Why couldn't they be even? Then maybe, maybe it was easier to bear with that; to look into her stepdaughter´s happy face.

She bedded the King every time he wanted to and in that way her mother … showed her. King Leopold wasn't complaining, but wasn't praising either, so at least, she thought, she had been giving a decent performance.

Then why wasn't she with a child yet? Her task was to birth a son for the King, an heir for his Kingdom. Perhaps it wasn't the right time yet. Eugenia, the old maid, told her that the right time will come when Mother Nature says so. Then, she told her, it will happen. Until then, she needed to just be a happy young woman.

The brunette smiled at the thought of Eugenia.

She liked the old lady very much. Eugenia was a wise woman, and lovely. She talked her through rough times, when Mother was not around, and told her unspoken things about motherhood. Some things sounded less frightening when Eugenia was the one who spoke of them.

A small smile spread across her face when her mind wandered back to their last talk, as Eugenia prepared the soup for the castle. It was when she asked Eugenia about True Love.

That was the first time when she talked about her little secret. A secret that she now shared only with Eugenia.

* * *

_Flashback_

"_Was Willem your True Love?"_

"_Oh yes, honey, he was." Eugenia said with a smile, while she was peeling more potatoes. They had something in common, Regina noticed._

"_But why couldn't you be with him?", the younger woman asked further. "True Love always wins"._

"_It should, unfortunately not always. But-" she smiled toward the younger woman, "Once you find your True Love, you will keep it in your heart. Forever. Even when you lose it". The maid symbolically touched her heart, and Regina smiled._

_For a few moments, the kitchen was filled with silence._

"_I know." Regina said softly and Eugenia turned her head to face the young woman in question. "Know…"?_

_Regina nodded slowly and dropped her head to hide teary eyes. A supportive hand squeezed her arm lightly._

_She sniffed then sobbed, as tears forced their way down her cheeks. Then she let go._

"_The King isn't my True Love. I didn't want to marry him, because I don't love him. I can't ever share my heart and...everything with him... willingly."_

_A surprised gasp fell from the lips of the old maid. The young woman was crying now as her sadness washed over her, and all Eugenia could do was embrace the broken form in front of her in a motherly hug._

_At that Regina cried harder and grasped at Eugenia firmly, her whole body shaking with the force of her cries._

"_Daniel…" she whimpered._

"_Oh sweetie…"._

* * *

No one else knew, she was certain. But oh, how wrong she was.

Cora knew every awful detail. She had had to restrain herself from dragging her daughter out of the room right that second when she heard their sweet little talk, away from that worthless old woman, who should have been killed a long time ago. Cora might have to rethink her priorities once in a while.

No, Cora knew better, she had to handle it differently. Acting with only rage would not have been clever this time. So she let her foolish daughter have her sweet talk with that peasant of a woman.

But when it reached the point where their talk was only filled with words about happiness and their endings, Cora had enough. She told Snow White that it was dinner time and, as believed, the girl ran happily in search for her stepmother.

"I would like to have a talk with you, my dear daughter, in my chambers after dinner."

The young woman looked at her mother, her smile faltered at her mother's firm tone. Her breathing hitched as brown eyes met darker ones, and a very uneasy but familiar feeling settled in her stomach.

Swallowing hard, she looked at her dinner. Now her thoughts wandered to the possibilities; why did Cora want to talk to her? And why in her chambers? For punishment again? She didn't do anything wrong or miss anything; she wasn't late, she didn't miss teatime, nor the meeting with the duchess. She even made up her mind about the spectacular dress she needed for the upcoming ball. And she didn't even miss the history lesson "The Queens of the Centuries". She also chose every word wisely, as her mother taught her. Now, she thought about her words before they leave her mouth.

No, she was certain.

Was she? She tried to think harder.

Suddenly there was a small uncertainty that hit her full force, causing her to breathe heavily as her eyes widened. _The talk._

* * *

_Flashback_

_...the maid hold her close to her body and brushed softly over her head._

"_Tell me about Daniel"._

_Pulling away from her friend, Regina sniffed and looked her directly in the eyes, questioning._

"_He must have been very handsome"._

_Smiling brightly, eyes shining, the young woman laughed, "Oh he was! He was kind, and lovely and supportive"._

_The old maid smirked at the eagerness in Regina´s voice._

"_Our days together were filled with joy and happiness. Every time we could spend together, we were just happy to be together. We rode through the woods, raced through the fields, brushed and fed the horses together. I even helped him fix the leather of the saddles and bridles"._

_Smiling proudly as she looked at the maid's face. "Sometimes we had riding lessons at the lake instead."_

_Eugenia´s eyes raised over the rim of her glasses. "Riding lessons"?_

_Regina lowered her head as she felt heat rise in her cheeks "We bathed in the lake and we even spent a few nights in the hay". Giggling sheepishly, "It was as uncomfortable as I thought it would be. My back was itching even two days later"._

_Closing her eyes with a smile as memories went through her. "He was careful and so understanding. Every touch…", exhaling deeply, "it made me feel closer to him. Like finding your every missing piece. It was True Love, I could see it, I could feel it with every touch from him"._

_Basking in her memories, Regina didn't hear the slight gasp, nor did she see the shock in Eugenia's face._

"_Reg- honey", the woman reached for Regina's hands, "when you, when you married the King, were you...? You weren´t…?"_

* * *

She couldn't know, could she? She and Eugenia had been alone, she knew they were. Nobody was around and nobody would have ever imagined that the Queen would be with Eugenia down in the kitchens, peeling potatoes. She took a deep breath when panic rose deep within her.

The possibility that her mother really knew was small, too small, she hoped.

She couldn't let the panic come to the surface, then her mother would definitely know.

Taking a big gulp of her wine, she hesitated then spoke "Yes, Mother."

She was relieved that nobody focused their attentions on her, and therefore could not see that her knees were shaking and the hair standing high on her neck, and the itchy goosebumps all over her body.


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: This will be the final chapter of setup; chapter 3 will be the final chapter and will contain….well, the whole point to this fanfic, which is a darker look at the possibilities of abuse at the hands of a literally heartless mother that is hungry for absolute power; aka trigger warnings for now and ahead.**

**Special thanks to my lovely wife for beta work on this and for reminding me that you guys cannot see the scenes in my head so I need to put more detail in there for you. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own OUAT**

A figure in the moonlight shadow made its presence known. "Deep in thoughts again, my dear daughter?" The sudden voice tore her from her thoughts, causing her to flinch.

"Mother?"

A deep exhale filled the air, and with a flick of her wrist, the dancing flames of candles lit the room. Clasping her hands together loosely against her torso, Cora spoke softly, "Come on in, my love. Close the door". Her lips formed a tight smile, using every effort to keep her growing anger within. For now.

"O-of course, Mother", Regina sputtered, and did as she was told.

"Regina, darling, how many times have I told you to speak with strength?"

"I am sorry, Mother", she said quickly and blinked. She was nervous now, afraid even, because she couldn't figure out what occasion could be cause for the meeting here. But what frightened her most was the fact that her mother just stood there.

Cora's stance radiated strength and absolute power.

Regina swallowed as their gazes met; brown eyes locking with similar ones, just a tint darker. Cora's gaze sharpened momentarily in a test, the muscles around her eyes tightening, brown pools flashing dangerously in that split second, and just as she expected, Regina's eyes lowered.

"How are you feeling my dear Daughter?"

"I am well, Mother, thank you."

"But you seem to be a little…off", Cora's voice rose curiously. "Is something bothering you, Love?" She questioned knowingly and circled her daughter slowly. "I was hoping your little talk to the peasant was helpful," she spat, barely managing to conceal her rage.

The tone in her mother's voice was... it was not genuine. Something was hidden in it, something menacing; Regina knew it and it scared her, because this voice, _this _voice indicated something. Something cruel. Regina felt a shudder travelling over her body as memories of the punishment went through her.

A defeated whimper escaped her lips; she knew what was about to come.

"Oh my darling", her mother said pitiful and walked toward her.

"You should have known better than this, Sweetheart." Cora cooed and brushed her hand softly over Regina's silk curls. She kept her rage at bay; she did not want it to burst, not yet. It would be worthless now. Instead, she embraced Regina in a hug. Her tightly pressed lips and her almost black eyes were the only signs of her sizzling anger, but her daughter couldn't see that.

Pressing her head further into her mother's chest, Regina cried, "I know. I am sorry, Mother. I didn't know but…," then a broken whisper left her lips, "I- it... it felt so good to talk to someone about it." Cora's eyes and mouth shut tight and she winced at her daughter's foolish words.

Sniffing, Regina told her that Eugenia was kind and that she was a lovely woman, and her wise words helped her a lot of times. She told her mother the cook was a trustworthy woman.

Cora took a deep breath and pulled away. "Oh Regina." Regina looked at her with tearful eyes and wet cheeks, waiting for her mother to continue.

"My foolish little girl" she smiled, almost sadly, "You must not trust those peasants." Regina tried to interrupt, but Cora shook her head. "Even her, my love."

"No, Mother. I promise you she will not say a word to anyone. She is trustworthy. Please, believe me, Mother-"

"Enough!"

Faltering at the sharp crack of her mother's voice, Regina swallowed, looking into Cora's eyes as she took a step backward. Stepping toward her daughter, Cora's voice and features twisted into the visual representation of all the anger buried inside her, releasing it into the already tension-filled room.

"What have you done?!"

"I- I didn´-"

"Don't be ridiculous! I raised you better, Regina. I taught you to choose your words wisely and be aware to whom you are speaking!"

Hitting the stone wall with her back, Regina's anxiety was on full display. "But Mother- I _was_."

Snapping her eyes up, Cora looked at her daughter with a sneer.

"I- I knew to whom I was speaking, Mother, and I knew what I was speaking about. I- _oh!_"

The echo of a hard slap across the younger woman's face reverberated throughout the chamber and she stumbled to her knees. Holding her burning cheek with the palm of her hand, Regina whimpered.

No words were spoken when Cora snaked her hand around Regina's throat and slammed her against the cold wall. "Ah!" she cried out and winced in pain.

Searching for any mercy in her mother's eyes, she tried to speak but the venom of Cora's voice stopped her immediately.

"You almost ruined everything I have worked for, everything I did for you to become the Queen, with that silly mouth of yours, you stupid child!"

Tightening her grip on the throat, "You betrayed the King, Snow White, the Kingdom.." Cora smiled coldly in anger, "_Me."_

"You disobeyed me, your own _mother_." Regina whimpered once more. "But the worst thing you did, Regina, was that you _betrayed _me. Betrayed _me_." Cora said bitterly.

Regina's body began to shake with her sobs, "Mother…"

Cora ignored her and continued, "It seems that _every_ lesson I gave you was forgotten right after. But I am here, my sweet child. I must save you from that silly spirit of yours. Mother will help you, Regina."

Cora spoke warmly, almost motherly to her scared daughter. She stroked her knuckles softly over Regina's cheek, and a dark promising smirk grew on Cora's face.

"Mama will help you. _Again_."

Shiny eyes went wide when Regina's slid up to Cora's, pleading. Cora's smirk turned into a disgusted sneer as she looked down to the now frightened figure.

Cora's nostrils flared as she gazed upon the weak young woman kneeling on the ground in front of her. How weak could her daughter, her own flesh and blood, possibly be? What more needed to be done to eliminate that from her? She thought about the things she had done to her. Sadly, all the cruelty Cora did to her daughter seemed to be less memorable or cruel than she thought they were.

Regina needed a different punishment this time, one that will be burnt into her memory for the rest of her poor life. It had to be more cruel this time.

Cora closed her eyes and breathed out slowly, almost reverently, as idea for the punishment went through her dark mind and the memory of her daughter's horror-stricken face flashed behind her eyelids.

* * *

_Flashback_

_Holding her dress up, Regina walked quickly through the large foyer, along the big chamberdoors toward the library. She was late for her history lesson again, so she took route of the east wing of the castle, which she barely used to walk through._

_Suddenly she whipped around as she heard a tearing scream. Frowning and scared, Regina walked toward a chamber where, now, she could tell the crying was coming from._

"_Pl-Please... Please! I'll do anything...anything you want."_

_Regina's eyes widened as she heard the begging voice. The noise of the chain's slow rattling and sobbing was heard._

_Carefully, she laid her ear against the door, avoiding making any sound._

_Now, there was more sobbing and crying, "Please, please, please, just let me go. Please! I am beggi-"_

"_ENOUGH!" A woman's voice shouted out and a sharp slap on human skin filled the chamber and made Regina flinch at the same time._

"_You filthy little peasant." The chains rattled again, and the weak voice of the crying girl could be heard again. Now she was sobbing harder and whining like a little child._

_Nothing but that and angry whispers came out of the room._

_She put her hands over her ears as she heard the pained scream from the depth of the girl's lungs and a horrible, deep laughter. Regina fell backwards on the ground._

_It was too late for her to stop the shriek that fell from her own lips. Suddenly the door was yanked open. Brown eyes widened fearfully at the sight above her._

"_M-mother?!"_

_Cora stood in the doorframe, eyes filled with hate, and something else Regina couldn't properly in her shock. Her eyes went to her mother's glistening mouth and chin. Looking further down, she saw Cora's right hand was dripping with blood. The smell that drifted from the open door of the room made Regina force down a gag. _

_The air was warm, filled with the scent of blood and sweat, iron and candles, but Regina could not tell what they all were through her daze. She swallowed back the lump in her throat, eyes looking nervously over her mother's body._

_Cora said nothing, she just watched her daughter through tight eyelids. Her eyes filled with even more rage when both mother and daughter heard the slight rattling of moving chains and soft moans of agony from the chamber._

_Gasping, Regina's eyes moved slightly to the side of her mother's body. Brown eyes widened as they caught sight of a naked woman, hanging by the wrists wrapped in chains. Her hair was braided, some loose strands covered in blood. Her forehead glistened with sweat and her mouth and nose were bloody, too._

_Breath hitching, Regina saw the bloody thighs and more blood dripping down from her crotch._

_Regina could not move, rooted to the spot in her shock and horror. _

_The bound girl tried to stand, but shaking legs failed anew. Chains rattled again as she fell into her previous position, and another whimper in pain or agony puffed from her lips._

"_Please...," she breathed laboriously, "I said... I'm so-sorry." She breathed out shakily. "Please. I´ll ...try... aga-."_

_Cora swirled her wrist around, and the girl groaned. Regina whipped her eyes back to the girl and frowned. The girl seemed in much more pain now, judging by the way her voice grew louder in pain. Then, the chains around her wrists began to glow as if they were being held over a hot flame._

"_Mother! Please, stop, you-"_

_But before Regina could finish her plea for her mother to stop torturing the girl, Cora's fingers were clasped around her daughter's neck._

_Immediate fear crossed over Regina's face and she let out a gurgling choke from the force of her mother's grip. Cora sneered as her dark eyes bored into frightened ones. Hands whirled around Cora's arm, pleading to be let go._

_Regina tried to breath but she just couldn't. _

_Throwing her to the ground, Cora finally let go and Regina burst out in heavy coughing, struggling to get oxygen into her burning lungs. Leaning onto the cold stones, her body was shaking from the effort of bringing air back into her system._

_A loud slam shut the door of Cora´s room, closing Cora and her young victim inside. Now, Regina was alone. Alone with the memory of what she just witnessed. Another memory, that she will never forget. Ever._

_Regina closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, then she cried. She could not believe that she was not the only one Cora punished. What did that girl do to deserve this? What did _she _do to deserve this?_

* * *

Oh, _that _was going to be wonderful hours of joy for Cora.

She was used to long hours of joy with the virgins from the villages. They were pleasure to torture and it was always fascinated her how much a young body could take, and how far she had to go to get those oh so beloved words out of their innocent mouth.

A sharp slap across their face did not always bring about the begging and pleading, but was merely the beginning of extensive hours of pure torture. A little pressure here, a little pressure there; slaps with the riding crop, burning chains, or the sweet use of a candle's flame; cuts, a deep intimate fist or a bloody bite; so much more. Some could take more than others; Cora took great pleasure in finding each peasant's limits.

To Cora, the most delicious knowledge about the difference between those virgins and her daughter, the Queen, was that Regina could physically take much more than every virgin Cora had ever had.

Oh, her sweet little Regina could take so much of the punishment and torture. Her weakness did not lie in the physical, but rather, the emotional. Pretty little words sang out in just the right tone of voice would have her a simpering mess on the floor at Cora's feet long before her body physically gave in to the torture.

Words of hate and disappointment and failing. Cora knew Regina ached for love, to be loved. Wanted and needed, to be liked and welcomed, respected and accepted. The stupid girl was still looking for love, for Mother´s love. For _True Love_. Foolish to believe in its real existence. It made people blind and weak.

Although, Regina had her limit for physical torture, too, of course.

Yes, Cora knew what strings to pull, what words to say to bring Regina to her knees and begging her to stop. Adding whips and fire and so many other sweet things, her daughter would soon be begging for her mother's touch.


End file.
